1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an automatic cassette loading and reproducing apparatus, and more particularly is directed to such apparatus for automatically loading and reproducing selected cassette tapes used in television broadcasting and the like, and which is hereinafter referred to as a "CART" machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automatic cassette loading and reproducing apparatus of the kind referred to as "CART" machines are well known, for example, as disclosed in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,425, which has a common assignee herewith.
In such known automatic cassette loading and reproducing apparatus, a cassette storage rack is comprised of a substantial number of storage bins for receiving and storing video tape cassettes which are prerecorded with respective news stories or segments or with commercials, each being of relatively short duration. The known apparatus is further provided with a number of video tape reproducing devices (VTRs), and with a cassette transporter by which tape cassettes can be selectively removed from bins in which they are stored and then loaded into a selected VTRs. The housings of the tape cassettes are provided with bar codes or other similar coded information identifying at least the recorded contents of the respective tape cassettes, the numbers of the bins in Which the tape cassettes are stored, and the order in which the several tape cassettes stored in the bins of the rack are to be reproduced for broadcasting or transmission. Further, the coded information on each tape cassette housing may identify the one of the VTRs by which that tape cassette is to be reproduced, the starting time for reproduction of the recorded contents, and the duration of the recorded contents.
In the normal operation of the described known "CART" machine, the placement of a tape cassette into a bin of the storage rack is detected by a sensor in such bin, and the resulting signal causes a system controller, for example, in the form of a micro-computer, to cause the cassette transporter to move to a position aligned with the respective storage bin. Thereupon, the tape cassette is removed from its bin and inserted into the cassette transporter where the coded information on the cassette housing is read, for example, by a bar code reader, and stored in a memory of the system controller. Thereupon, the tape cassette is returned from the cassette transporter to the respective bin of the storage rack.
The video segment or recorded contents to be reproduced from each tape cassette and then broadcast is hereinafter referred to as an "event" and, after all of the tape cassettes have been placed in the respective bins and have had the respective coded information or event data read therefrom by the bar code reader and stored in the memory of the system controller, such event data stored in the memory are checked against an earlier prepared or generated event list which is suitable input to the system controller. The event list indicates the order in which the several tape cassettes are to be reproduced and transmitted or be "on the air", the identification numbers of the several tape cassettes, the titles of the respective events or recorded contents, the durations and broadcast times of the events, the numbers of the bins in which the tape cassettes are respectively stored, the identification numbers of the VTRs by which the tape cassettes are to be respectively reproduced, and the identification of the channels through which the reproduced contents or events are to be transmitted. After checking the event data in the memory against the event list, a number of the tape cassettes at the beginning of the predetermined sequence or order in which the cassettes are to be reproduced are loaded into the respective VTRs which are placed in their standby state so that, upon a signal from the operator, the system controller initiates successive reproducing operations of the VTRs in the predetermined sequence or order given on the event list. Immediately after a first event or news segment has been completely reproduced from a tape cassette by the VTR in which that cassette is loaded, the system controller initiates reproducing operation of another VTR which has been in its standby state so as to cause reproduction and transmission of the next event or news segment. Thus, continuous reproduction of the successive events is achieved so as to permit uninterrupted transmission or broadcast of the previously determined program corresponding to the event list. As the reproduction of each tape cassette is completed, the tape cassette is returned by the transporter to its respective bin and the transporter then loads into the vacated VTR another tape cassette which the event list indicates follows in the predetermined order of reproduction of the tape cassettes the group of cassettes first loaded into the VTRs.
Although the above described existing "CART" machine makes possible the automatic and accurate selective loading of the tape cassettes into the several VTRs and the reproducing operation of the latter so as achieve the continuous reproducing and transmission or broadcast of the recorded events or news segments in a predetermined sequence, such known "CART" machine has some disadvantageous characteristics. In this respect, it is to be noted that, in order to achieve the automatic and selective reproducing of the contents of the several stored tape cassettes, it is necessary to initially prepare an event list containing the previously described information for each of the tape cassettes, and also to provide each of the tape cassettes with a bar code or the like representing corresponding coded information. Since the foregoing is time consuming, the preparation of the event list and the application of the bar codes to the housings of the several tape cassettes have to be performed well in advance of "air time", that is, in advance of the actual reproduction and broadcast of the recorded contents of the selected tape cassettes.
Therefore, the known "CART" machine has not been suited for the reproduction and broadcast of a tape cassette which has not been included in the originally prepared event list, for example, which is recorded with video related to a late-breaking story or news flash, and which it is desired to interpose, without delay, in the previously prepared order or sequence of the tape cassettes dictated by the event list. In the case of the "CART" machine according to the prior art, it is necessary to provide on the housing of a tape cassette intended for emergency use, that is, recorded with video related to a late-breaking story or the like, a bar code representing the respective coded information, and then to effect correction or amendment of the event list for including therein, at the desired position in the predetermined sequence of reproduction, the information concerning the tape cassette for emergency use. The time required for performing the foregoing operations in respect to the tape cassette for emergency use is undesirable and frequently not available, for example, when the tape cassette recorded with video relating to a late-breaking story of great importance is only received in the studio near the end of the scheduled news program.